Improvement in aerial vessels



UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-Ion FELIX LE-BLANO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

.IIlI IPROVEMENT IN AERIAL VESSELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,359, dated October27, 1874; application filed October 7, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FELIX LEBLANC, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have in- "ented a certain new and useful Improvement in AerialVessel, of which the following is a specification Y This invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 representsa plan or top view, partly in section. Fig. 21s a transverse sec? tion.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to an aerial vessel, the frame of which consistsof a basket, the side rails of which are extended and bend in the formof a boat or vessel, from the bow of which extends a central bar or keelbeneath the basket to the stern. From the sides of the basket extendcurved ribs, which are steadied in position by top rails in such amanner that by covering thebasket and the curved ribs with prepared silkor other suitable material a gas-chamber is formed which surrounds thebasket, while the shape of the vessel is similar to that of the body ofa bird. and thereby an aerial vessel is obtained which can be propelledthrough the air in any desired direction.

In the drawing, the letter A designates a basket, which is composed of abottom, a, a

series of uprights, b, and a top frame, 0. Between the bottom and thetop frame are one or more decks, d, for the accommodation of suitablemachinery and for the passengers and the cargo. The side rails of thetop frame 0 extend beyond the ends of the basket, and they are united atone end to a sharp bow, 01, while their opposite ends are connected by astern-bar, e, thereby imparting to the top v frame the shape of a boator vessel. The bow d and the stern e of said top frame are connected bya bar, f, which extends beneath the bottom of the basketv and forms thekeel of the vessel. With the top frame 0 are combined two side rails, gg, which give additional strength to the structure, and if the top frameis covered by an upper deck these side rails give security to persons orarticles on said deck. From the sides of the basket extend a series ofribs, h,

which are curved outward, as shown, so that ciples, and by attaching toit wings or other suitable propelling devices my vessel can be propelledthrough the air in almost any desired direction. The propelling devicesmay be driven by hand or by suitable machinery placed in the bottom ofthe basket A.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The basket A, constructed with a bottom, a, and a series of uprights, b,in combination with the vessel-shaped top frame 0, keel f, and curvedlateral ribs h, all constructed substantially as herein shown anddescribed, to form an aerial. vessel, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal this 3d day of October, 1874.

F. LEBLANO. [L. s.]

Witnesses L. LEBLANG, W. HAUFF.

